Pastor Terry Jones, right, reacts to the jury's verdict, that he is likely to cause a breach of the peace with a proposed protest at the Islamic Center of America in Dearborn.

The jailing of Florida’s Terry Jones last week raises troubling questions about freedom of speech and constitutional rights. The controversial minister, who had planned to protest in front of a Dearborn mosque on Good Friday, was briefly put behind bars when he refused to post a $1 bond in a Wayne County court.

Now Jones is planning a trip back to Dearborn.

To which we say: Stay home, Pastor Jones. You’re not welcome in Michigan. You’re not wanted in a state that prides itself on peaceful religious diversity. You’re not welcome to spread hatred and foment violence to further whatever sorry ideology you claim as your “faith.” You’re not welcome to elevate your own ideas, if they can be called that, in the name of degrading law-abiding citizens of other religions.

Jones has made a national name for himself through provocative rhetoric and acts. He wormed his way into the national spotlight because of the volume, intensity and outrageousness of his message.

From a civic perspective — and from the vantage of those who share the faith he supposedly professes — there should be a collective turning-of-the-back on Jones and his ilk. Early Christians were told by Paul to “withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly.” “Disorderly” pretty much describes Jones. If there is a modern equivalent of biblical shunning, that treatment was made for the Florida pastor. He earned it.

But does he deserve to be silenced? Jones’ constitutional right to protest is a separate question, and an important one. Generally, governments should lean over backwards to accommodate speech of all types, especially speech with which most in society disagree.
That was the Supreme Court’s conclusion in the case of the small band of extremists — basically family members who call themselves the Westboro Baptist Church — who disrupt the funerals of national heroes killed in combat with bizarre and hurtful messages. The court ruled they have a right to their protests. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the 8-1 majority in that case that as a nation we have chosen “to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that we do not stifle public debate.”

Last month, Jones put on a mock trial of the Quran at his Gainesville church. Afterwards, he soaked Islam’s holy book in kerosene and set it on fire. Violent protests followed in Afghanistan in which seven United Nations workers were killed. Jones’ actions fueled anti-American sentiment that surely increased tension for U.S. soldiers in Islamic countries.

Jones was in Dearborn — a city with a large Muslim population — with the clear intent of provoking a reaction. A Wayne County jury decided Jones would likely create a “breach of the peace” and stopped him.

The court and jury had to weigh a number of concerns, including the site Jones had chosen for his protest and the day on which he planned to conduct it, when Christians at nearby churches would be trying to get to church. Still, the legal system preemptively silenced Jones, a restraint on speech that should almost never happen.

Jones plans his next rally for the Dearborn City Hall, which sits within a “free speech zone,” a troubling notion in itself. In addition, Jones has vowed to sue the Wayne County prosecutor’s office. It would be a pity if he were made a First Amendment martyr instead of disappearing into history.

Arguing that Jones has a right to speak in some fashion isn’t the same as arguing that he’s right. He’s not right. He’s as wrong as he could be. The point here is that he should exercise his rights with a lot more discernment and care.